I think the tax raises 28b (by memory, I could be wrong), and Dems have been willing to lose that with an offset in revenue. And the Cruz baby tantrum cost 24b, so that's kinda amusing. Shall be called the Ted Cruz ego tax from this point on.

Shame tea-brains are the most narcissistic group ever imagined, you before your country.

They would've traded the device tax for a mandate delay in a heartbeat. Turns out Democrats might've been willing to go to the mat over the mandate. Which will be pretty epically comic when they end up having to delay it anyway.

Because then it will be clear that Republicans only failed in trying to get Democrats to do what ultimately had to be done. Meaning the entire shutdown was really about Democratic obstinance and/or denial. Take your pick.